Israel’s conscience is its demonstrators, not Netanyahu’s despotic government
letters to the editor
March 29, 2023
About the editor: The Israel I have loved, supported and defended since the beginning is now represented by hundreds of thousands of Israelis protesting in the streets against the future despot who serves as prime minister and his far-right cronies in the Knesset. (“Tensions Ease After Netanyahu Postpones Judicial Review, But Stalemate Remains,” March 28)
Benjamin Netanyahu and his American brother from other mothers will do anything to stay in power, up to and including destroying democracy and the ethics that underpin it.
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Nyahu vowed to return to his ugly plan to strip the Supreme Court of its powers after Passover. I hope that the protesters will take to the streets in even greater numbers.
Barbara H. Bergen, Los Angeles
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About the editor: All this hand-wringing about what Israel will and will not do is just noise right now. Many commentators and reporters are resorting to the worst-case scenario.
Israel has always had a strong democracy for the past 75 years with a mix of left and right in each of its governments. Let’s wait for real action on judicial reform before things get out of hand.
All we have now is the falling sky
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Mantras that use a perceived crisis to fire one more shot at the Jewish state. Real life will paint a different picture.
Allan Kandel, Los Angeles
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About the editor: One letter writer claimed that democracy in Israel was bolstered by the Knesset’s ability to overturn decisions made by an “unelected judiciary.” Democracy is much more than letting an elected parliament decide all legal and political matters.
Even places like Hungary and China hold elections. Such “elections” really don’t count
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In China, the head of state was recently “re-elected” by a unanimous vote of nearly 3,000 deputies in the People’s Congress.
Democratic standards empower courts to make final decisions on important policy issues and enable our ultra-conservative Supreme Court to overturn half a century of precedent and overturn constitutional abortion rights.
Donald L. Singer, Cardiff, California.
Source: LA Times